A big change is on the horizon in a small northern German community. The local council agrees that the village needs a doctor, a properly qualified doctor of medicine. But where to put the doctor and practice? There is only one option: The house of midwife Mathilde Jansen, which belongs to the municipality. Midwives are becoming unfashionable anyway. Although she is forced to vacate her home as a result of the change that has been decided, the midwife goes along with it. Mathilde herself gets involved in the search for a doctor. The local council is soon in for a rude awakening. Midwife Jansen, known as "Mother Griepsch" in the old North German dialect, has all too wilfully bungled the local politicians.